Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A control device for controlling communication in an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, coupling a user equipment and an application provider that provides an application, the control device comprising: a receiving circuit configured to receive a reference to geographical information from the user equipment or from an intermediate node by receiving a message that encapsulates by reference said geographical information, wherein the geographical information directly describes a geographical location of the user equipment, and wherein the reference is not geographical information directly describing a geographical location; a communication circuit configured to: de-reference said geographical information by sending a request to a presence server requesting that the presence server convert said reference into said geographical information; and receive said geographical information from the presence server; a verification circuit configured to verify whether or not a spatial condition is met that depends on said geographical information and its relation to a defined spatial area, wherein the spatial area and the spatial condition are part of a control criterion associated with said application, and a control circuit configured to control a provisioning of the application to the user equipment according to a result of the verification circuit.
A control device manages communication in an IMS network between a user device and an application provider. It receives a *reference* to the user's location (instead of the location data itself) from the user device or an intermediary. It then asks a presence server to translate this reference into actual geographical coordinates. The device verifies if a spatial condition is met, based on the user's location relative to a defined spatial area (both part of a control criterion tied to the application). Finally, based on this verification, it controls whether the application is provisioned to the user.
2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the spatial area is described in terms of geographical information.
The control device as described previously, where the spatial area (used for location verification) is itself defined using geographical information, like coordinates or a geographical boundary. So, not just a condition related to location, but the area itself is represented geographically.
3. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the spatial condition specifies a spatial relation relative to the spatial area.
The control device as described previously, where the spatial condition defines *how* the user's location relates to the spatial area. Examples include: "user is inside the area," "user is outside the area," or "user is within 100 meters of the area." It's a spatial *relationship*.
4. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control criterion is part of a service point trigger.
The control device as described previously, where the control criterion (spatial area and condition) is part of a "service point trigger". This trigger determines when the location check and application control should be initiated.
5. The control device according to claim 4 , wherein the service point trigger is part of a filter criterion.
The control device as described previously, where the service point trigger (that includes the control criterion) is itself part of a "filter criterion". This suggests a multi-layered approach to determining when the location-based control should happen; the filter criterion must be met before the service point trigger is even considered.
6. The control device according to claim 5 , wherein the verification circuit is communicatively coupled with a user data base and is configured to receive the filter criterion from the user data base.
The control device as described previously, where the verification circuit (the part that checks the location against the spatial condition) is connected to a user database. It retrieves the "filter criterion" (which contains the service point trigger and control criterion) from this database, indicating user-specific or subscription-based location control rules.
7. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device further comprises an extraction circuit configured to extract the reference from a header of a message received by the receiving circuit.
The control device as described previously also has an "extraction circuit." This circuit extracts the location *reference* from the header of the message it receives from the user equipment or intermediate node. This specifies how the reference is obtained from the incoming message.
8. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device further comprises an extraction circuit configured to extract the reference from a message received by the receiving circuit, based on a format according to a Presence-based Geographic Location/Privilege (GEOPRIV) Location Object Format.
The control device as described previously also has an extraction circuit. This circuit extracts the location *reference* from a received message, based on the "Presence-based Geographic Location/Privilege (GEOPRIV) Location Object Format". This indicates a standardized format for the location reference data.
9. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to control the provisioning of the application to the user equipment by at least one of: triggering the provisioning of the application, triggering a termination of the provisioning of the application, triggering a pausing of the provisioning of the application, and triggering a resuming of the provisioning of the application.
The control device as described previously controls application provisioning by triggering one or more of the following actions: starting the application, stopping the application, pausing the application, or resuming the application. This covers a full range of application lifecycle management based on location.
10. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device comprises a Call Session Control Function node.
The control device as described previously is a "Call Session Control Function (CSCF) node" within the IMS network. This identifies a specific network element that performs the location-based application control.
11. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the reference comprises a piece of data that allows unique retrieval of said geographical information as another piece of data.
The control device as described previously utilizes a location *reference* that is a piece of data specifically designed to allow the unique retrieval of corresponding geographical information, which exists as a separate and distinct piece of data.
12. An Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, comprising a control device for controlling communication in the IMS, wherein the IMS couples a user equipment and an application provider that provides an application, the control device comprising: a receiving circuit configured to receive a reference to geographical information from the user equipment or from an intermediate node by receiving a message that encapsulates by reference said geographical information, wherein the geographical information directly describes a geographical location of the user equipment, and wherein the reference is not geographical information directly describing a geographical location; a communication circuit configured to: de-reference said geographical information by sending a request to a presence server requesting that the presence server convert said reference into said geographical information; and receive said geographical information from the presence server; a verification circuit configured to verify whether or not a spatial condition is met that depends on said geographical information and its relation to a defined spatial area, wherein the spatial area and the spatial condition are part of a control criterion associated with said application, and a control circuit configured to control a provisioning of the application to the user equipment according to a result of the verification circuit.
An IMS network includes a control device for managing communication between a user and an application provider. The control device receives a *reference* to the user's location (instead of the location data itself). It asks a presence server to translate this reference into geographical coordinates. The device verifies if a spatial condition is met, based on the location relative to a defined spatial area. Finally, based on this verification, it controls whether the application is provisioned to the user. This claim describes the entire IMS including the location aware control device.
13. A method for controlling communication in an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, coupling a user equipment and an application provider that provides an application, the method comprising: receiving a reference to geographical information from the user equipment or from an intermediate node by receiving a message that encapsulates by reference said geographical information, wherein the geographical information directly describes a geographical location of the user equipment, and wherein the reference is not geographical information directly describing a geographical location; de-referencing said geographical information by sending a request to a presence server requesting that the presence server convert said reference into said geographical information; receiving said geographical information from the presence server; verifying whether or not a spatial condition is met that depends on said geographical information and its relation to a defined spatial area, wherein the spatial area and the spatial condition are part of a control criterion associated with said application, and controlling a provisioning of the application to the user equipment according to a result of the verification.
A method for controlling communication in an IMS network involves receiving a *reference* to the user's location (instead of the location data itself). The reference is de-referenced by requesting the actual geographical coordinates from a presence server. The method then verifies if a spatial condition is met, based on the user's location relative to a defined spatial area. Finally, based on this verification, application provisioning to the user is controlled.
14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the spatial area is described in terms of geographical information.
The method as described previously, where the spatial area (used for location verification) is defined using geographical information, like coordinates or geographical boundaries.
15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the spatial condition specifies a spatial relation relative to the spatial area.
The method as described previously, where the spatial condition specifies a spatial relation relative to the spatial area. Examples include the user being inside, outside, or within a certain distance of the area.
16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the control criterion is part of a service point trigger.
The method as described previously, where the control criterion (spatial area and condition) is part of a service point trigger. This trigger determines when the location check and application control are initiated.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the service point trigger is part of a filter criterion.
The method as described previously, where the service point trigger (containing the control criterion) is part of a filter criterion. This allows for a multi-layered determination of when location-based control is applied.
18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein said verifying comprises receiving the filter criterion from a user data base.
The method as described previously, where the verification step involves receiving the filter criterion from a user database. This supports user-specific or subscription-based location control rules.
19. The method according to claim 13 , wherein receiving the reference comprises extracting the reference from a header of a received message.
The method as described previously, where receiving the reference involves extracting it from the header of a received message.
20. The method according to claim 13 , wherein receiving the reference comprises extracting the reference from a received message based on a format according to a Presence-based GEOPRIV Location Object Format.
The method as described previously, where receiving the reference involves extracting it from a received message based on the Presence-based GEOPRIV Location Object Format.
21. The method of claim 13 , wherein the reference comprises a piece of data that allows unique retrieval of said geographical information as another piece of data.
The method as described previously utilizes a location *reference* that is a piece of data specifically designed to allow the unique retrieval of corresponding geographical information, which exists as a separate and distinct piece of data.
22. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor associated with a control device, cause the control device to control communication in an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, coupling a user equipment and an application provider that provides an application, the computer program instructions causing the control device to: receive a reference to geographical information from the user equipment or from an intermediate node by receiving a message that encapsulates by reference said geographical information, wherein the geographical information directly describes a geographical location of the user equipment, and wherein the reference is not geographical information directly describing a geographical location; de-reference said geographical information by sending a request to a presence server requesting that the presence server convert said reference into said geographical information; receive said geographical information from the presence server; verify whether or not a spatial condition is met that depends on said geographical information and its relation to a defined spatial area, wherein the spatial area and the spatial condition are part of a control criterion associated with said application, and control a provisioning of the application to the user equipment according to a result of the verification.
A computer program product stored on a non-transitory medium contains instructions for controlling communication in an IMS network. When executed, these instructions cause a control device to receive a *reference* to user's location and request geographical coordinates from a presence server to "de-reference" it. The instructions then verify if a spatial condition is met, based on location relative to a defined area. Finally, application provisioning to the user is controlled based on the verification result.
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September 23, 2014
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